I don't want to change I want to be me
by Hecoand
Summary: Byleth's hair color changed. Despite this seemingly minor change, everyone they have been interacting with change their behavior. Some friendly, some confused, leaving the Professor with a crisis of identification... (Byleth can be interpreted as any sex.)


Day 16 of the guardian moon. Heavy rain and thunderstorm. Officer's academy.

"Where is the professor? Its been at least 2 weeks since that accident." the calm and serene voice of the Archbishop asks from her desk, looking at her side to her counsel and advisor, Seteth. The man looks back at her and shake his head side to side, such a reaction causing the head of the religion to sigh deeply.

"Regrettable. Still locked up in their room? It's such a waste. They avenged their father, yet they still unsatisfied. But more importantly… Way more importantly, she is back to us. You seen it too right seteth? The hair…that green color. She's here." Rhea stated to the wyvern rider, who looked at the window with a sigh. Only replying with a dry yes, and nothing more.

In the professor's room, Byleth stood in their bed silently. Looking up at the ceiling, their eyes unmoving and their body barely breathing. Their mind rattled so much questions and wonders. At their bed table stood a white ring with purple ornaments and orange lights. As a bolt of thunder cracks the sky outside, the professor's head slowly tilt towards the mirror in their room. Their eyes softly frowns as they see someone in it, someone with light green hair. Curious and confused, they get up and softly put their hands onto the glass. Seeing the person inside do the same, they conclude that it's their own reflection. But as they look at the stranger in the mirror, they shake their heads to the side softly. Yet the stranger does the same. The curious look on Byleth's face vanish as it shape shifts into a tiny frown.

"Stop copying me."

Their lips move to make the sentence, and, mockingly, the stranger with light green hair does the same. They too frown slightly and move their lips to make sound. This annoys the professor more, as their expression darkens to become full on annoyance.

"Stop behaving like me."

Their order fall on deaf ears it seems, the one in the mirror still doing exactly the same thing that the teacher was doing. Seeing such blasphemy, the professor frowns and clutch their ungloved hand tightly and turns around to not suffer the sight of whomever it was that found it amusing to behave like them to the microsecond of movements. The ex-mercenary choose to close their eyes, and voices starts to echoes in their head.

"wow professor. You look different! Is it still you in there?"

"bwa! Sorry professor, this is so different!"

"your hair is so bright now… Are you the same?"

"don't come in! I…Eum… just do-don't!"

"you look just like the goddess herself! One could think you are her!"

"hmmm… This hair color change does make you similar to seteth and flayn… Are they your family?"

"your hair is just like mine! I can see you as my sister!"

"we are like family now. Flayn is happy, so I am too."

"sweet child… You are now finally who you were supposed to be…"

Byleth bit their lips as they clutch their head. What did that make everyone so scared or happy? It's just their hair! They are still themselves. Children of Jeralt Eisner.

Right?

The professor's eyes turn around as they once more fix the mirror. And again, this light green haired doppelganger is in the same position as them. The ex mercenary's body start to heave and pulse, their hands clutching their hair and head even harder. Pulling on it slightly, feeling a bit of pain coursing through them. They truly were this green. They were part of them. Another look at the mirror, and even their eyes are differently colored.

"STOP IT!"

Byleth yells as they punch the mirror out of impulse, a rare and unfamiliar moment of rage flowing through their bodies as the glass shatters in pieces, pieces of them cutting the teacher's hand and making them bleed, soft sounds of liquid dripping and dropping onto the glass below them.

Another loud crash of thunder resonates outside the monastery, the rain pouring down hard as byleth feels pain course through their body. They felt anger at this new look. No… it was stronger than anger. Outrage. Pure outrage at their hair changing color. With their arm pulsating in the pain of cut veins, Byleth's eyes fall back to Jeralt's ring.

"Father… Who am I? I didn't change right?" they find themselves asking to the ring on the bed table, feeling something new in their body. It's loud and make their ear unhappy, a sickening thump against their chest keeps on beating, causing the professor to feel weak and weird. Their body feels warm for a few seconds, the thumping only get louder and stronger. It hurts as much as it burns. But it brings them some comfort. For once, unfamiliarity caused some good to the teacher. Alas it stops, and Byleth's breath soon start to become slower, almost unnecessary for them.

Before they could even ponder what just happened, a knock comes from their door. Weakly, the professor goes to it and open it, seeing Rhea outside with a motherly smile.

A new smile. One byleth only started to see after the change of hair and eyes. Once more, they clutched their hands at the change of manners from the archbishop.

"My sweet child." She starts speaking, far more kindly than ever before. Protective and afraid of harm be falling onto the professor.

"Here, theses are new clothes. One more befitting of your status at our academy."

She says with the same smile, showing the new outfit. Gold and extravagant, white robes and a nice set of jewelry. One befitting of a saint.

"I like my old clothes. They are practical." Byleth states, but Rhea doesn't say anything and just gasp as she notices the wound on their hand from the mirror punch. Softly and caringly, she grabs the wounded arm and strokes it delicately.

"Who did this to you my child? They will pay for it. But for now, allow me to ease your pa-"

Byleth jerked their arm out of Rhea's grip, their face frowning still as blood fly off onto the wet ground below.

"Why do you care? Is it because of my hair? You didn't use to care."

Byleth spits accusingly, leaving the archbishop stunned for a few seconds. The rain still falls like crazy, and Rhea takes a few breaths before opening her mouth again.

"Because my child, you are different than before. Now you are my-" Byleth back off, and return into their room, slamming the door shut and screams from behind it.

"SHUT UP! I AM NOT ANY DIFFERENT! I AM JUST A MERCENARY!"

Their cries are loud enough for the archbishop to hear, leaving her with nothing else to do but sigh. As thunder rumbles, she goes closer to the locked door, and caress the wet wooden frame of it.

"It's okay to be confused. Everything will be back to norm soon my sweet child. I can't wait to see you again in two weeks. The holy tomb will be the place of great joys."

Rhea says to the door, before leaving the professor alone with their thoughts.

Byleth lays down on their bed, face first into their pillow as they hold onto a tiny Teddy bear with a tiny wooden shield on their back. Tears starts to fall down their eyes, dripping down their cheeks. Why did everyone not recognise them? Why was everyone weary? Scared? Fascinated? They knew who their professor was three weeks ago, why not now? "father… help me… I am scared. They all act like strangers." they begged as they buried their face into their pillow, one hand clutching onto the toy, and the other pulling on their hair.

No..

On this parasite. It wasn't their hair. It was someone else. They hated it that person on their head and in their eyes. The fingers clutching the teddy bear started to scratch their own closed and crying eyes, while their other hand pulled on the hair they detested, pulling some out and throwing it off their bed.

They were Byleth Eisner. No one else. Not family to this foreign goddess. Not something to Rhea. They never met Flayn before. Their heart was theirs to feel and beat. It was their own life to live...

Right…?


End file.
